Slug casting machine



Sept. 7, 1937. R. R. MEAD 2,092,220

SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYJ' p 1937. R. R. MEAD SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE m spt. 7, 1937. R R MEAD SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR I ATTORNEMJ Sent. 7, 1937. R R, MEAD 2,092,220

SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR A TTORNE 1&5

Patented Sept. 7, 1937 Ui'l'E STATE PA'EET FFEQE SLUG CASTING MACHINE ration of New York Application April 11, 1936, Serial No. 73,847

Claims.

This invention relates to slug casting machines, such as Linotype machines of the general organization represented in United States Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices and expansible spacebands are composed in line by the manipulation of a keyboard, the composed line transferred to a slotted mold for the casting of a type bar or slug, and the matrices and spacebands thereafter separated and returned by a distributing mechanism to the magazines from which they started. More particularly, the invention relates to machines of this character equipped with quadding and centering devices, in order that the machine may handle not only lines of full length as ordinarily, but in addition lines of less than full length (regardless of their actual length), lines of the latter kind in machines of this character being composed merely with the matrices necessary for 9.0 the printed matter and indented at the left or at the right end of the line or centered as desired.

A machine so constructed is disclosed in the Frolander Patent No. 1,971,400. In the machine therein disclosed, the movable supports for the two line clamping jaws (the latter being made long enough to perform their required functions of closing the mold slot at the front) are actuated through two distinct trains of connections from a vertically movable member controlled from the main shaft of the machine. When both jaw supports are connected to the member, they are, prior to casting, moved equidistantly toward each other until arrested by the contact of their respective jaws with the opposite ends of the composed line (for centering) and later, after casting, restored to their original positions of maximum separation. Due provision is made for disconnecting either the right hand jaw or the left hand jaw from the vertically movable member, so that one or the other may be operated independently for quadding at the right or at the left as may be desired. When both jaws are disconnected as they may be, the machine is free to function in the usual way, the right hand jaw being left normally stationary and the left hand jaw being adjustable by the customary devices.

When the clamping jaws are moved into contact with the composed line, the vertically movable member is locked in its downwardly moved position by means of a toggle clamp actuated by a lost motion device included in the operating connections for the member and, after a casting operation, the toggle clamp is released, allowing the Vertically movable member to ascend and restore the clamping jaws to their positions of maximum separation. It has been found that if the pressure exerted by the line clamping jaws is suddenly released, either by the rapid backing off of the jaws in moving to their normal positions of maximum separation or by the removal of the line from between the jaws prior to the release of the clamping pressure exerted by the latter, there is a tendency for the matrices in the line, due to the sudden release of the clamping pressure, to spring out endwise.

To obviate this condition, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention, to back off the jaws slightly from the composed line after the casting operation to relieve the line clamping pressure and to maintain the jaws in their slightly backed off positions until the line, by the ascent of the line transporter, has been carried upwardly clear of the jaws. Another advantage of this construction resides in the fact that the end matrices will be wiped by the jaws as the line is carried from between them, thus removing any 1 metal that may have adhered thereto during the casting operation.

In accordance with the present improvements, the toggle clamp, which ordinarily comprises a block operated by a toggle device for holding the vertically movable member in its downward position, is allowed a limited degree of movement while still in engagement with the vertically movable member to allow the latter to be actuated upwardly for a small distance to permit the slight backing off of the line clamping jaws befor the line has been lifted clear of the jaws, the toggle clamp being disengaged from the vertically movable member after the line has cleared the jaws to permit the vertically movable member to ascend to its uppermost position and return the jaws to their positions of maximum separation.

These and other features of the invention will be fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a Linotype machine equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 1, looking from the left in that figure;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the first elevator and vertically movable member just above the toggle clamp housing;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of certain detail parts of the toggle clamp mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the toggle clamp block;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with some of the parts omitted however and with the parts shown at a different phase of the machine cycle of operation; and

Fig. 10 is a front view of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1, but at a different phase of the machine cycle of operation.

The matrices X and the expansible spacebands Y, after being composed in line in the assembler in the usual way, are transferred to a vertically movable transporter or first elevator A slidably mounted in the fixed vise frame B. Upon receiving the line, the first elevator immediately descends to position it between the left hand jaw E and the right hand jaw F (Fig. 1) and in front of a slotted mold (not shown), which latter then advances from the rear and into contact with the line and. the two clamping jaws for the slug casting operation, the line, prior to casting, being alined and justified in the usual way when the machine is being operated under the usual conditions. After the slug has been cast, the mold is carried from its horizontal casting position to a vertical ejecting position by a threequarter rotation of the mold disc, the first elevator in the meantime being raised to deliver the composed line to the matrix and spaceband distributing devices and finally coming to rest in its original or line receiving position.

As described in the Frolander patent previously referred to, the two jaws E and F are mounted for movement in the vise frame in the customary manner, being carried by supporting blocks E and F slidable in suitable guideways in the vise frame and are movable toward and from each other by a periodically operated part in the form of a vertically movable rod H which may be connected at its upper end to the respective jaws through the medium of two similar but oppositely disposed bell crank levers E and F pivoted at E and F to the vise frame, the longer arms of said levers being connected by short links E and F to the jaw supports E and F respectively, and the shorter arms of said levers being arranged for connection to the rod H. According to this arrangement, when the rod H is moved downwardly from its uppermost position (which is its normal position of rest), it will move the two jaws equidistantly toward each other (assuming both to be connected to the rod) until they contact with the opposite ends of a composed line which has previously been positioned between them and, when the rod is moved upwardly for restoration to its position of rest, it will in like manner move the jaws equidistantly away from each other to return them to their original positions of maximum separation. Since the composed line positioned between the jaws may vary in length, the actual extent of movement of the rod H will, of course, vary accordingly, and hence provision is made for such varied movement of the rod in its actuating connections, as will presently appear.

Suitable provision, in the nature of a segmental grooved member I-I is made at the upper end of the vertically movable rod H for connecting the jaws thereto, this grooved member being adjustable so as selectively to connect either or both jawsto the rod as desired OI quadding at either end of the line or for centering. The manner in which the member is adjusted has no concern with the present invention and nothing further will be said about it here.

The rod H is slidable in suitable bearings, only one B of which is shown, in the fixed frame. At its lower end, the rod H is connected by a link H to the forward end of a lever I-I having a hub portion H journalled on a pivot rod H carried by a bracket (not shown) secured to the vise frame (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). Fixed to and depending from the hub portion H is a barrel or cylinder H containing an expansion spring H pressing upwardly against a lug H projecting forwardly from the hub portion of a second lever H also journalled on the pivot rod H The lifting tendency of the spring H is resisted and overcome by the engagement of a stop lug H on the hub portion of the second lever H with a stop lug H formed on the hub portion of the first lever H the effect of this arrangement being to cause the two levers to move in unison until the first lever is arrested by the rod H as the jaw or jaws, whichever is connected thereto, banks against the composed line.

The second lever H is connected at its rear end by the roller and groove connection H to the forward end of a bent lever H journalled on a pivoted rod H fixed in the main frame, a tension spring H being connected to the lever in advance of its pivot and serving constantly to move it downwardly at its forward end. The lever at its rear end is provided with a roller H tracking upon the periphery of an edge cam M fast to the main shaft M of the machine.

From the foregoing construction, it will be seen that the rotation of the cam M (which is always in a clockwise direction and which makes one complete rotation at each cycle of operation of the machine) is imparted to the rod H, through the train of connections just described, to move the rod first downwardly to effect the inward or closing movementof the jaws E and F, and then upwardly to effect the outward or separating movement of the jaws. Since, as already stated, the downward movement of the rod I-I will vary according to the length of the composed line positioned between the jaws, its actuating connections must be arranged to yield as the rotation of thecam continues, and this yielding is provided for by the lost motion which takes place between the two levers H and H the latter acting on the former through the expansion spring H which, of course, will be compressed to absorb the lost motion. The lever H being thus permitted to partake of a full rocking movement, may be (as it is) positively connected to the cam operated lever H The downward or jaw closing movement of the rod H takes place as the roller H runs from the low portion onto the high portion of the cam M while the upward or jaw separating movement of the rod I-I takes place after the roller has passed the high portion of the cam at a point in the machine cycle hereinafter to be noted. The roller H is urged in contact with the rotary cam by the spring H but it will not be allowed to pass from the high portion of the cam to the low portion of the cam at the point where the former terminates, but at a somewhat later period in the machine cycle for reasons hereinafter set forth. It may be noted here that the high and low portions of the cam are such that the jaws will be closed before and held closed during the slug casting operation, and in the other case separated and held separated between successive slug casting operations.

In order to lock the rod H in its downwardly moved position, there is provided a toggle member J (see Fig. 5) enclosed within a box or housing B which carries the bearing B before alluded to. This toggle member operates a clamp or grip element J arranged to contact with a sleeve H carried by the rod H and which, for purposes of the present description, may be assumed to be integral with'the rod H. Associated with the toggle is an actuating link J provided at its upper end with an adjusting screw J arranged to bear upon the toggle joint. At its lower end, the link J is connected by a turn buckle link J to the forward upwardly bent arm of the lever H before referred to. As will be noted in Fig. 5, the link is slotted as at J so as to straddle the toggle joint, being encircled within the box by a compression spring J which normally presses upwardly through a pin or stud J 7 on the toggle joint to maintain the grip element J in inactive position.

It will now be seen that the toggle member J is operated by reason of the lost motion which takes place between the two levers H and H it being remembered that the former lever is the one connected to the rod H. In other words, after the lever H is arrested in its movement by the cessation in downward movement of the rod H (due, of course, to the contact of the jaws E and F with the opposite ends of a composed line), the lever H continues to move to its full extent under the influence of the rotary cam M acting in the meantime to continue its drawing down of the link J The length of the link (or what amounts to the same thing, the position of the screw J thereon) is such that during the last portion of the movement of the lever H the screw is moved within the box and caused to actuate the toggle member J so as thereby to press the grip element J under heavy pressure against the sleeve H and lock the rod H securely in its down"- wardly moved position.

Actually, the rod H and its sleeve H are not connected together as one, provision being made for a slight relative movement between the rod and the sleeve after the latter has been locked by the toggle member in the downwardly moved or line clamping position of the rod in order to allow for a limited line spread during justification. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 5, it will be noted that at its lower end, the rod H is provided with a fixed collar h threaded on the rod and which contains an expansion spring 11. encircling the rod H and pressing upwardly on the lower end of the sleeve E". This lifting tendency of the spring, however, in the downwardly moved position of the rod, will be resisted and overcome by a rotary cam V rotatably mounted on the sleeve H at its upper end and arranged in position to engage a collar V fixed to the rod H. When the cam V is set with its high point in contact with the collar V it will, by reacting against the collar and over the opposition of the spring h hold the sleeve H in contact with the second collar h at the lower end of the rod. Under such a setting of the cam, as will now be evident, there can be no relative movement between the rod and the sleeve, and the two parts function as if they were rigidly united, which is the condition that should exist when casting from lines without spacebands. On the other hand, when the cam V is set, say to bring its lowest point into contact with the collar V then the sleeve H in the downwardly moved position of the rod H will be raised by the spring h out of engagement with the collar h, and the clearance thus provided will determine the amount of the relative movement which can take place between the rod and sleeve after the locking of the latter by the toggle member J in the manner before described. This is a condition which should exist when it is desired to permit the maximum spread of a composed line during justification. When it is desired to provide for a less spread of a composed line, the cam V is set in an intermediate position, that is to say in a position intermediate its lowest and highest points.

The cam V may be set either manually or automatically to allow for different degrees of line spread, depending upon the length of the composed line. The means for setting the cam V are described fully in the Frolander patent heretofore referred to and will not be repeated here.

The outward limited movement of the jaws E and F to allow for the line spread prior to justification is efiected by positively raising the vertically movable rod H to the limited degree allowed by the setting of the cam V, it being recalled that the sleeve at this time is positively locked by the toggle member J. The mechanism for efiecting the upward limited or line spread movement of the rod H is illustrated in Fig. 2. By reference to this figure, it will be seen that the lever H, which actuates the rod H, is provided with an upwardly extending bifurcated arm H having a pin H playing in a closed slot H formed in the forward end of a fore-and-aft actuating link H the length of the slot being such that the pin may travel from one end thereof to the other without afiecting the link as the rod H is moved back and forth by the lever H between its uppermost and lowermost positions. As will presently appear, when the machine is in operation, the link H is moved rearwardly after the sleeve H has been locked by the toggle member J in its downwardly moved position with the clamping jaws in contact with the composed line and, in its rearward movement, the link will sooner of the sleeve, the extent of such relative movement of the rod being, as previously stated, determined by the setting of the camV. It is this upward limited movement of the rod H which moves the line clamping jaws outwardly from their line contacting position and thus determines the final quadding or centering position of the jaws when a composed line is to be spread or justified by the expansion of the contained spacebands. In Fig. 1, there is illustrated a condition wherein the machine is set for quadding at the right end of the line, and there the initial quadding positions of the right hand jaw F and its associated parts are shown in solid lines, the position which the jaw will assume after the line has been spread in the manner just described being shown in dotte line.

Going back to the actuating connections, the link H is slidably supported in a bracket M attached to the fixed machine frame and is connected by a long tension spring H (which is This counter-clockwise more powerful than the spring H above referred to) to the lower end of a lever H secured to and depending from a shaft H journalled in a supporting bracket M attached to the fixed machine frame at the rear. Likewise secured to the shaft, in offset relation to the lever, is a second lever 1-1 having a forwardly extending arm which carries at its extremity a roller H arranged to cooperate with a cam M While this cam might be mounted directly on the shaft, it is, as a matter of convenience, attached to the side face of the cam M which controls the jaw closing and jaw opening movements of the rod H.

As will be noted, the relation of the two cams M and M is such that shortly after the former has operated the lever H to effect the downward or jaw closing movement of the rod H and to lock the sleeve in its downwardly moved position, the cam M will be caused to engage with the roller H and rock the connecting levers H and H clockwise to draw the link H rearwardly in effecting the limited upward movement of the rod H relatively to the locked sleeve H in the manner before described. The cam M maintains its engagement with the roller, and hence, maintains the rod H in its limited raised position until after the composed line has been justified or spread by the expansion of the spacebands. Thereafter, the cam travels clear of the roller and the levers H and H are restored to their original or normal position of rest by a spring H connected to the lower end of the lever and pulling forwardly thereon from an anchorage point in the machine frame, a stop H engaged by the lever H serving to locate the parts in their proper positions. In order to move the link H forwardly to its original or normal position of rest, the link is provided with a long rod H extending through the spring H and connected at its rear end by a pin and slot H connection to the lever H The play of the pin and slot connection H is such that the actuating movement of the lever 1-1 will always be transmitted to the link H through the spring H the rod H therefore, acting merely as a return connection for the link from the spring. While unnecessary perhaps, the rod H is slidalbly supported at its forward end in a bearing formed in the bracket M Upon the return movement of the link H the spring H again comes into play and tends instantly to rock the lever H clockwise to move the rod H down again relatively to the locked sleeve H (it being noted that at this time the 5 high portion of the cam M is still in engagement with the roller H of the lever H but if the line has been properly justified or spread out by the spacebands to the full extent permitted by the outward movement of the jaws from their linecontacting position, the line itself will serve to prevent such return movement of the rod by the spring H On the other hand, if for any reason the line has not been fully expanded by the spacebands, so as to fill out the space between the jaws, the rod H can and will be moved downwardly by the spring H? to whatever extent it is required to close the jaws upon the composed line. In this latter event, which is an abnormal operation, the return downward movement of the rod H is utilized to prevent the casting operation from taking place.

As thus far described, the parts and their operation; except as hereinafter noted, are or may be the same as set forth in the Frolander Patent No. 1,971,400, before referred to.

the toggle operated clamp or grip member J that engages the sleeve H is formed in its sleeve engaging surface with teeth J adapted to engage corresponding teeth It on the sleeve in order that this engagement may be a positive one instead of relying solely upon pressure, as in the Frolander patent previously referred to. Furthermore, it will be noted that in the normal position of the toggle clamp J there is a small clearance or gap J 9 between the top of the clamp and the top plate B of the toggle clamp housing B which is approximately ten thousan'dths of an inch. This is maintained, except under conditions hereinafter noted, by a shoe B (see Fig. 8) pivotally mounted in the top plate B and formed in its lower edge with a cam surface B which is pressed against the clamp J by a spring I) fastened to an offset portion of the shoe and anchored in the top plate 13 When the vertically movable rod H and the sleeve H are arrested in their downward movement by the banking of the jaws against the ends of the composed line, the continued movement of the lever H will draw down on the link J and will operate the toggle member J in the manner before described to press the clamp J into engaging relation with the sleeve H so as thereby to lock the sleeve in its downwardly -moved position, but it will be noted that in this case the toggle member J is forced beyond the dead center position (see Fig. 5). r

As shown in Fig. 9, there is another vertically movable link K pivotally connected at its lower end to the lever H and which is constrained to move in a vertical direction by a'protruding' portion 13 of thetoggle member housing top plate B that projects into an elongated slot K in said link, the link being held against separation from the projecting member by a washer and screw threaded into theprojecting portion of the plate just alluded to. The link K is pulled downwardly by the lever H as the latter moves to effect the operation of the toggle member J and, when it reaches its lowermost position (see Figs. 1 and 2), an adjustable set screw K threaded into a horizontal offset portion at the top of the link K engages the shoe B at the top and through the shoe, positively holds the clamp J in its lowermost position against any tendency of the clamp to rise during the spreading of the jaws prior to justification and during the justification of the line itself, it being obvious that if the clamp were not thus positively held, the upward movement of the rod to effect the spreading movement of the jaws would raise the clamp to close the gap J as would also the expansion of the line during justification, the upward thrust of the spacebands in the-latter instance acting to separate the line clamping jaws, which in turn would lift the rod and sleeve and consequently the clamp.

About centrally of its length, the link K is also formed with a rearwardly projecting lug K, into which there is threaded an adjustable banking screw K and, as the link K is moved downwardly inthe manner before described, this screw will engage at the center of a lever L, pivotally mounted at its right end in the base of the fixed housing B to effect the extension of a relatively strong spring L fastened at its lower end to the left end of the lever L (see Fig. 1) and anchored at its upper end in a fixed part of the machine (see Fig. 2).

After the casting operation has been completed, the roller H rides off the high portion of the cam M and, as it does so, the lever H will act to raise both the link J 2 and the link K, thus releasing the shoe B that holds the clamp J in its lowermost position and the lever L, just mentioned. The screw J at the top of the link J will also move away from the toggle member J, but the latter will not operate to release the clamp, since, as previously stated, it was urged past its dead center position, and the spring J that ordinarily tends to release it, is not strong enough to force it back beyond the dead center position. Consequently, with the clamp J still engaging the sleeve H the lever L is swung from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 10 and, in so doing, a cam surface Z formed on the upper edge of the lever near its pivot point will engage the lower end of a vertically movable pin L slidably arranged in the bottom portion of the toggle member housing B beneath the clamp J and cause said pin to force the clamp upwardly to close the gap J between it and the top plate B As the clamp J 1 moves upwardly, it will carry with it the sleeve H The rod H will follow under the action of the spring H and this upward movement of the rod will be sufficient to back the jaws E and F away from the line a distance sufficient to relieve the clamping pressure thereon,approximately of an inch for a gap of ten thousandths of an inch between the clamp and plate referred to before.

Actually in some cases, as for instance when quadding a long line, the means just described for effecting the upward movement of the toggle clamp J might not be necessary, since, under such circumstances, the lost motion between the levers H and H is relatively large. When the lost motion is large, the lever H will gather considerable momentum in its return movement under the influence of the spring H and the force with which the lug H thereon will strike the lug H on the lever H should and probably would be suficient to force the rod H and the clamp J upwardly through the limited distance provided by the gap J However, when quadding a short line, the lost motion being substantially smaller might not be sufficient to allow the lever H to gather the necessary momentum in its return movement to effect the limited jaw separating movement of the rod H when it is held by the clamp J and it is for this reason that the supplemental means for raising the clamp J 1 and the rod H is provided.

The jaws E and F will be held in their positions of limited separation, i. e., slightly backed off from the line until after the rod H has been released by the toggle clamp J despite the fact that the roller H on the arm 1-1 that actuates the levers H and H passes off the high portion of the actuating cam M Indeed, the roller actually loses contact with the cam for a portion of the machine cycle or until after the toggle clamp has been released.

The toggle lock J is released and the clamp J disengaged from the sleeve H to allow the jaws E and F to return to their positions of maximum separation when the first elevator has ascended almost to its uppermost position, and the mechanism for effecting such release of the toggle lock will now be described. It will be noted that the front bearing block J of the toggle member is arranged for a slight fore-and-aft movement, and is normally held in its rearward position by a stud J against which the block banks. This stud, as shown clearly in Fig. '7, is provided with a sleeve J formed at its inner end with a head or flanged portion J and at its outer end with a reduced portion J the purpose of which will be noted presently. The front face of the flange J is formed with two diametrically opposed high portions J and two intermediate low portions J and these high and low portions are adapted to cooperate with a pair of protruding lugs J formed on a small plate J (Figs. 5 and 6) fastened at the inner face of an L-shaped block B that constitutes a part of the front wall of the toggle member housing B and which also presents the upper guiding surface for the front toggle block J the lower guiding surface being presented by another portion of the front wall of the housing. When the stud J 11 is turned to bring the high portions J of the flange in registry with the protrusions J on the plate J which incidentally is the normal position of the parts, the front toggle block J will be in its rearmost position, wherein the toggle will be held in its position below dead center. However, when the stud is turned to bring the low portions J of the flange into registry with the protrusions J on the plate J the stud J will be allowed to move forwardly for a limited distance, as determined by the depth of said low portions, and this movement will be suificient to allow the spring J 6 to force the toggle upwardly past the dead center position and withdraw the clamp J out of engagement with the sleeve H"; the sleeve, and consequently the rod H, thus being freed and allowed to ascend to normal position, and in so doing, move the jaws to their positions of maximum separation. It might be stated here that the outward movement of the jaws E and F after the sleeve H has been released will be rather rapid, since at this time the roller H will have left the high portion of the cam and, in order to prevent banging and possible breakage of the parts, the lever B may be equipped with a dash pot, if desired, to slow up the motion, although one is not shown in the drawings.

The stud J is located in its different positions by a swivel plate N held on the reduced portion J of the stud by a nut N threaded on the end thereof. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, this swivel plate has a downwardly extending portion N which, in the normal position of the parts, banks against a fixed portion of the vise frame and is retained in such position by a tension spring N fastened to an upwardly projecting portion N formed on the plate and having an anchorage likewise in the vise frame. The normal position of the swivel plate corresponds to that position of the stud, wherein the high portions of the flange register with the protrusions J on the plate. However, when the first elevator nears the upper end of its stroke, a pin 0. located near the lower end thereof will engage a lip N projectingforwardly from the swivel plate, causing the latter to swing in a counter-clockwise direction to turn the stud J so as to locate the low portions J of the flange thereon in registry with the protrusions J"; and when this occurs, the toggle member releases the sleeve H and allows the jaws to be returned to their positions of maximum separation. The location of the pin a in the first elevator is such that it will not travel upwardly past the swivel plate, but only far enough to swing the plate through a distance sufficient to effect thev release of the toggle memher in the manner previously described. When the elevator A descends to its normal line receiving level, the swivel plate N, and consequently the stud J will be returned to normal position under the action of the tension spring N previously mentioned. It should be noted, perhaps, that although the toggle release spring J is not suiiiciently strong to force the toggle member upwardly past dead center when the stud J is in its normal position, there is sufficient give in the parts to allow the toggle member to be forced past dead center in a downward direction, this latter operation of course, being effected through positive connections from the main shaft of the machine, all as previously described.

In the accompanying drawings the invention has been shown merely by way of example and in preferred form, and obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, and means acting to effect a limited separating movement of the jaw after casting to relieve the pressure on the line and for preventing full sepparts to normal position, and means acting through said mechanism to relieve the pressure on the line after casting while preventing the full separating movement of the jaw until after the composed line has been withdrawn from between the jaws.

3. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism including a vertically movable rod for eifecting such quadding movement of the jaw and for effecting a separating movement of the jaw after casting to return the parts to normal position, means for arresting the rod after a limited separating movement of the jaw to relieve the pressure on the line and until after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws, and means for thereafter releasing the rod to permit the full jaw separating movement thereof.

4. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, a line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws for casting, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw and for effecting a separating movement of the jaw after casting to return the parts to normal position, means acting to limit the separating movement of the jaw to an extent suificient to relieve the pressure on the line until after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws, and means controlled from the line transporter for operating said limiting means to permit the separating movement of the jaw to be completed.

5. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, a line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws for casting, mechanism for effecting such jaw quadding movement of the jaw and for effecting a separating movement of the jaw after casting to return the parts to normal position, means acting through said mechanism to limit the jaw separating movement to an extent sufficient to relieve the pressure on the line until after the line has been withdrawn from between thejaws, and means controlled from the line transporter for operating said limiting means to permit the separating movement of the jaw to be completed.

6. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, a line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws for casting, mechanism including a vertically movable rod for eifecting such quadding movement of the jaw and for effecting a separating movement of the jaw after casting to restore the parts to normal position, and means for arresting the rod after a limited separating movement of the jaw sufficient to relieve the pressure on the line and until after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws, and means con trolled from the line transporter for thereafter releasing the rod to permit the full separating movement of the jaw.

7. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism including a vertically movable rod for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw and for eifecting a separating movement of the jaw after casting to return the parts to normal position, means for locking the Vertically movable rod in its jaw quadding position during the casting operation, means for allowing a limited jaw separating movement of the rod to relieve the pressure on the line after casting, and means for releasing the rod after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws to permit the separating movement of the jaw to be completed.

'8. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, means for presenting a composed line of matrices and expansible spacebands between the line clamping jaws, means for expanding the spacebands after a quadding operation to fill out the space between the jaws, and means acting after a casting operation to effect a limited separating movement of the jaw to relieve the pressure on the line and to maintain the jaw against full separating movement before the line has been Withdrawn from between the jaws.

9. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw,

means for presenting a composed line of matrices and expansible spacebands between the line clamping jaws, meansfor expanding the spacebands after a quadding operation to fill out the space between the jaws, means acting after a casting operation to effect a limited separating movement of the jaw to relieve the pressure on the line, and devices operative after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws to allow the separating movement of the jaw to be completed.

10. A combination according to claim 9, wherein the composed line is presented between the jaws by a vertically movable line transporter, and wherein the devices for allowing the separating movement of the jaw to be completed are controlled from said line transporter.

11. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism including a vertically movable rod for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, devices for locking the rod in a position determined by the contact of the jaw with the line, means operating while the locking devices are active and after casting to move the rod to eifect a limited separating movement of the jaw to release the pressure on the line, and means for thereafter releasing the locking devices to allow the jaw to be returned to normal position.

12. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for eifecting such quadding movement of the jaw and including a vertically movable rod, means including a toggle lock for holding the vertically movable rod in a position determined by the contact of the jaw with the line, means for moving the rod a limited distance after casting to effect a slight separating movement of the jaw to relieve the pressure on the line, and means for thereafter releasing the toggle lock to allow the jaw to be returned to normal position.

13. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw and including a vertically movable rod, a vertically movable line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws, means including a toggle lock for holding the vertically movable rod in a position determined by the contact of the jaw with the line, means for moving the rod a limited distance after casting to effect a slight separating movement of the jaw to relieve the pressure on the line, and means controlled by the line transporter for releasing the toggle lock to allow the jaw to be returned to its normal position.

14. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for efiecting such quadding movement of the jaw, means for moving the jaw before casting a limited distance away from the line to permit justification, means other than the line itself for moving said jaw a limited distance away from the line after casting to relieve the pressure thereon, and means for holding the jaw in such position until after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws.

15. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, said mechanism including a vertically movable rod, means for actuating said rod before casting to move the jaw a limited distance away from the line to permit justification, means for actuating said rod after casting to move the jaw a limited distance away from the line to relieve the pressure thereon, and means for holding the rod in such position until after the line has been withdrawn from between the jaws.

16. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movemnt of the jaw, a vertically movable line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws, means for moving the jaw before casting a limited distance away from the line to permit justification, means other than the line itself for moving said jaw after casting a limited distance away from the line to relieve the pressure thereon, and means controlled from the line transporter for thereafter permitting the return of the jaw to normal position.

17. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, said mechanism including a vertically movable rod, a vertically movable line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws, means for actuating said rod before casting to move the jaw a limited distance away from the line to permit justification, means for actuating said rod after casting to move the jaw a limited distance away from the line to relieve the pressure thereon, and means controlled from the line transporter for thereafter releasing the rod to allow the return of the jaw to normal position.

18. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, said mechanism including a vertically movable rod, means comprising a toggle operated clamping block for holding the rod in different positions as determined by the quadding movement of the jaw, said block being arranged for limited movement while in rod holding position, means acting .after a casting operation to move the rod under the control of the block to relieve the pressure on the line, and means for thereafter rendering the clamping block inactive to allow the rod to return the jaw to normal position.

19. A slug casting machine including, in combination, a pair of line clamping jaws movable one toward the other in quadding, mechanism including a vertically movable rod for effecting such quadding movement of the jaw, a line transporter for presenting a composed line between the jaws, means including a toggle operated clamping block for holding the rod in a position determined by the contact of the jaw with the line, said clamping block being arranged for limited movement while in rod holding position, means acting after a casting operation to move the rod under the control of the block to relieve the pressure on the line, and means controlled from the line transporter for thereafter rendering the clamping block inactive so as to allow the rod to return the jaw to normal position.

20. A combination according to claim 19, wherein means supplementary to the rod actuating mechanism are provided to act directly upon the clamping block itself for moving the rod after casting to relieve the pressure on the line.

RICHARD R. MEAD. 

